


Bleed and Fight for You

by jelly_pies



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Beating, Canon-Typical Violence, FebuWhump2021, Gen, Harley Keener is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Hurt Tony Stark, Protective Tony Stark, Real Steel AU, Tony Stark Acting as Harley Keener's Parental Figure, but just one scene long
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:48:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29487030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jelly_pies/pseuds/jelly_pies
Summary: "Come on, I knew we shouldn't have sold Iron Man!" Tony scoffs playfully. "I had full confidence he'd beat Chitauri."Harley lets off a scoff to rival his father's, pockets his share of the World Robot Boxing prize money—and freezes at what he had just mentally called Tony. Wow, the big f-word, huh? Tony had made it pretty easy for Harley not to think of him as… the big f-word, for the past eleven years. Of which Tony had been around for a total of two months.(But things may or may not change, when Tony's past catches up to them that night.)-For FebuWhump Day 15: "Run. Don't look back."
Relationships: Harley Keener & Tony Stark
Comments: 13
Kudos: 28
Collections: febuwhump 2021





	Bleed and Fight for You

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Hamilton's "Dear Theodosia." Contains a not-so-graphic description of someone getting beat up. Hope you enjoy this short Real Steel AU!

Is this what they call being drunk on victory? Because it's the best Harley has felt in a long, long time.

"Look at this, let's celebrate! Seventy-thirty split?" Tony prances out of the ticket office, handing Harley a large wad of cash.

Harley swipes at the wad in Tony's other hand instead. "Sure, seventy for me." When Tony scoffs, Harley protests, "You would have taken their deal! If it was up to you, Iron Man would be Thanos's punching bag right now instead of winning against Chitauri."

He nods at said robot, standing patiently outside Tony's truck. The Iron Man was a Mark II, one of the original boxing bots: small, lean, supposedly nowhere near the league of Marks IV and V giants like Chitauri, Iron Monger, Whiplash, Thanos. And yet the little bot Harley rescued from the junkyard had been holding its own, winning World Robot Boxing match after match, rising through the ranks. And today's victory was Harley and Tony's biggest yet.

"Excuse me, no, you got that backwards, I knew we shouldn't have sold him." Tony wags a finger. "I had full confidence he'd beat Chitauri."

"Yeah, right. You're in it for the money, as usual."

"And this way, we got more money!" Tony waves his wad of cash.

Harley lets off a scoff to rival his father's, pockets his share of the prize money—and freezes at what he had just mentally called Tony.

Wow, the big f-word, huh?

Tony had made it pretty easy for Harley not to think of him as… the big f-word, for the past eleven years. Of which Tony had been around for a total of two months.

They were only doing this in the first place because Harley had no choice but to hang around Tony while his uncle and aunt, his legal guardians, were away. To be sure, Tony made it interesting; turns out he isn't so bad when he isn't swindling loan sharks, betting on half-legal robot boxing dens, or running away from fatherhood. Harley never thought he'd end up this invested in Tony's world—robot boxing, scrap-hunting, nights on the road. Most of all, Harley could never have anticipated he'd rescue a bot as life-changing as Iron Man along the way.

Working on Iron Man had turned Harley and Tony into partners. Harley would even say _friends._ But Tony as his f-word had been letting Harley down all his life… and now, he knows better than to get too close.

And yet, _close_ feels good.

Harley shoves Tony's arm, settling back into their familiar banter to clear his head. "I want you to say it: Harley was right."

"We, we—we make a good team…" Tony stammers.

_"Harley was right."_

"Wow, you're really gonna rub this in."

"Say who's right!" Harley laughs all the way to the truck in the arena parking lot, savoring the taste of victory. The cool night breeze. His… friend, laughing beside him, shoving back playfully.

He should have known it wouldn't last long.

The cowboy hat comes into view first—and then a narrow, smirking face Harley recognizes from one of those half-legal robot boxing dens they'd previously visited. "Well, well. Congratulations to both of you. That was a heck of a fight."

"Hammer." Tony's voice immediately drops in pitch. Harley freezes beside him.

"Great job on that little sparring bot, young man." Hammer turns to Harley. "Chitauri, wow! Who would've thought?"

Tony steps in front of Harley, holding an arm out protectively, just as three of Hammer's goons appear from around the truck. "Come on, man—"

"Little tip for you, Tony, buddy. If you're gonna run from a guy you owe a heck ton of money, don't go plastering your new robot all over WRB's fight promotionals."

The goons come up behind Hammer. Harley doesn't have to look around to know there's no one else around the parking lot this time of night. He and Tony are open targets.

"Justin, look, I got a kid with me. And I _have_ your money." Slowly, Tony takes his thirty percent of winnings from his pocket. "We don't have a problem here."

Hammer stalks forward, eyeing Iron Man who's still recharging beside Tony's truck. Harley never wished to be behind his bot's controls more—but none of the boxing robots are programmed to fight humans. "I think we both know," Hammer drawls, "this isn't just about the money. You had it ready a month ago, you still ran."

Harley gulps, glancing at Tony, who hasn't even flinched. They had used that money weeks ago to fix Iron Man up from scrap.

Tony had never told him.

"Well, I have it now, okay? With interest, look, that's more than enough..."

Hammer doesn't take the cash Tony holds out. His eyes are hard. "You thought I was kidding when I said I'd beat you within an inch of your life for that?" He laughs coldly, turning to the others. "Boys, he thought I was kidding!"

Behind his back, Tony's other hand signals Harley, waving him away. And Harley wants to do it, to run. But his legs don't obey.

One of Hammer's men steps closer.

"I know how much they paid you for tonight's fight." Hammer adjusts three large rings on his fingers. "I want all you've got."

Tony throws a quick glance at Harley, who's still rooted to the spot. They lock eyes for just a second, almost as if their thoughts are connected. Then Tony steps forward. "Look, if you'd just take a look at this, I think you'd be satisfied—" In one smooth motion, Tony drops the cash. And punches the nearest goon. "Harley! Run!"

Dazed, but terrified, Harley runs.

To the truck—no, another guy blocks him—run away, then. Away away away—

He hears the scuffle behind him, a sickening blow—he hopes it was Tony who threw the punch. Footsteps gaining, running—

"Run!" Tony comes up beside him. "Go!"

Harley runs.

Hammer's men gain on them, shouting. Boots pounding. Tony's voice beside Harley, then suddenly falling behind him— "Run, Harley, don't look back!"

Harley runs, not processing what Tony meant until he hears another scuffle behind him. Hears Tony's yelp of pain.

And Harley looks back.

All three men are on Tony like sharks, thoughts of chasing Harley apparently evaporated. Harley can barely see through the dim lights, the flurry of fists, but he knows Tony is holding his own. A retired boxer, a robot fighter, used to the underground life—Tony has to be. He _has_ to be.

One of the men hits the dirt. Tony throws a second guy off, makes to run, but then someone grabs him, yanks him back and then—

—and then someone grabs _Harley._

He'd seen three men ganging up on Tony. Harley had forgotten to account for Hammer.

"Look what we've got!" Hammer sinks a hand in Harley's pocket, the other braced around his neck. Harley struggles and kicks and _bites,_ but the hold stays firm. And when Hammer has dug all the money out, he drops Harley, gasping for breath.

"Hammer, leave him alone! That's _his_ money—" Tony is silenced with a blow.

"Tony!" Harley crawls forward pitifully, desperately. "Tony!"

 _"Not him!_ Leave the kid—" Another hit.

_"Tony!"_

Hammer pushes him down, and Harley's face hits dirt. When he looks back up he sees all three goons back on their feet, kicking furiously at something huddled on the ground.

It takes Harley a moment to process that the something is _Tony._

"Whoo!" Hammer practically struts from Harley to where Tony lies, several feet away. The men make way for him. Hammer kicks at Tony's stomach, laughing. "A little less than an inch of your life, but that'll teach you, huh, Stark?" Another _crunch_ and Tony lies spread-eagled on the ground, gasping for breath. Harley gets up on shaking elbows and knees.

Hammer waves around the cash that used to be in Harley's pocket; seeming satisfied, his men begin backing off. Hammer fakes one last kick at Tony's immobile head, laughing again when he flinches, and turns to Harley. "Your friend here's a real scumbag, right, kid?"

_Friend._

It's a pretty crappy situation for a moment of clarity. But Harley knows now—the man on the ground is more than just his friend.

Harley balls dirt in his hand, and throws it at Hammer with all the spite and spit he can muster. "He's my _father."_

And it's the weirdest thing: the word doesn't feel so foreign anymore. For the first time, Harley is willing to own it. For the first time—it fits.

Hammer's features momentarily flicker, from shocked to ashamed. Harley didn't think he had it in him. But Hammer turns away quickly— "Let's go, boys!" —and as quickly as they came, they're gone.

Harley limps the rest of the way to Tony. He looks like crap. Thoroughly beat up, but he'll live, by Harley's assessment. He _has_ to. Who else does Harley have?

"I'm sorry, Harley." Tony groans. "Kid, I'm sorry…"

Harley wonders if Tony had heard what he said—what he had called him. And even if Tony did hear him—he wonders if it matters.

Shaking his head, Harley kneels and wordlessly balls his jacket up, sliding it under Tony's head for a pillow. They stay like that for a while, silent, defeated, broke.

 _At least the men left Iron Man and the truck alone,_ Harley chides himself. _It could have been worse._

But it feels almost like an empty victory. And even with Tony by his side, Harley knows he hasn't felt worse in a long, long time.

**Author's Note:**

> So I really liked the Real Steel movie and I may or may not develop this into a full AU story one day… but for now, it was fun doing a one shot! I'd love to know what you thought of the fic!


End file.
